Client adherence is one of the major challenges a personal trainer faces. The following blog posts cover a few techniques I have found helpful in keeping clients on track.
Technique #1: Rewards
Some of us (the lucky ones) find exercise to be its own reward; however, this is not the case for most people. While I believe the goal should be to have clients intrinsically motivated to work out , it is not necessarily a reasonable expectation, especially when first starting a program. The first six months of a new program are critical, as this the period during which 50% of people who have begun a program will drop out. If you can keep a client engaged and successful through this time period, their chance of reaching their goals and the trainer’s chance of establishing a return client begin to improve.
In this instance, I use a visual tracking and rewards system. Literally, a calendar where each day a workout is completed is marked off. Having the client display this calendar in a high traffic area of their home serves to both remind them to exercise as well as reinforcing the success of workouts already completed.
At the start of a new program, simply incorporating structured exercise into their lifestyle is an obstacle for many people. While the visual calendar serves as a reminder to exercise, I also include a “reward” the client can earn if they complete a specified number of workouts over a given time period. This reward must be something chosen by the client, something that they enjoy and want to work towards. Examples from past clients have been dinner out, trip to a movie, or simply a day off where physical activity is not even on the radar.
When starting a new program that will challenge the body as well as the mind, it is important to see success early and often. I will often set up the first reward to come just 2 weeks into the program. It is incredibly important that this first reward be earned easily. If I have set up a program that is intended to be completed 3 days a week (6 times over the first 2 weeks of training) I will require that the client complete the workout 4 times to earn their reward. This is the most important principle and often overlooked when setting up an exercise program. There has to be room for the client to take a day off, or miss a workout without feeling like they have failed. By allowing them to “burn” a few days of exercise each month a client can fall off the exercise wagon without feeling discouraged, or that they can’t get back on track with their program.
Rewards Calendar.pdf
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